Residential and commercial buildings invariably include networks of piping ranging from plumbing pipes to electrical conduits. While piping in these buildings is sometimes supported by a floor or underlying support structure, many piping layouts require that the piping be suspended, for example, by securing the piping to adjacent support structures such as beams, floor joists, ceiling joists, rafters, etc. Typically this is accomplished by utilizing pipe hangers. Pipe hangers generally extend around a portion of the pipe and attach by some means to a support structure.
There are drawbacks and shortcomings to conventional pipe hangers. They are often difficult to use and so difficult to use that suspending pipes and pipe networks in a building can be time consuming and costly. In addition, many conventional pipe hangers are inflexible, that is they have to be used in a certain way and do not give the installer a great deal of latitude when it comes to installing pipes and networks of pipes in unusual situations. Furthermore, some pipe hangers lack sufficient strength to adequately support certain spans of piping. In other cases, conventional pipe hangers tend to deteriorate and rust under certain conditions. Finally, many types of pipe hangers are expensive to make and this translates into an expensive product.
Therefore, there has been and continues to be a need for a highly flexible and easy to use pipe hanger that can be manufactured in a cost effective manner.